1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a taking out device which takes out randomly located articles by using a robot, in particular, relates to a taking out device having a function of correcting a posture of an article to be taken out.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known devices for taking out randomly located articles by using a robot. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-230513 describes that “hand 3 is attached to mount 41 at robot arm end 10 by means of connecting member 31. Gripping means 35 is supported by rotational supporting parts (or pivot axes) 33 and 34. By the robot controller, extendable means 32 may be extended or contracted so that gripping means 35 may represent first posture (a) and second posture (b).”
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2010-69542 describes that “A robot hand 24 is advanced to the workpiece holding target position (S3), and a holding state is confirmed (S4). When the holding state is not good, the workpiece holding target position is changed (S8), and the robot hand 24 is advanced until the holding state is made (S3).”
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-230513, the hand is structurally designed so that the hand can be flexibly operated corresponding to the position and/or posture of the workpiece to be taken out. However, such a hand may be expensive. Further, since it is necessary to change a method of taking out the workpiece corresponding to the orientation of the workpiece, a robot program may be complicated.
On the other hand, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2010-69542, the robot hand is moved forward until the adsorption state, wherein the workpiece is gripped by the robot hand, is confirmed. However, depending on the shape and/or the orientation of the workpiece, the workpiece may not be gripped merely by forwardly moving the robot hand.